roswell

Flight 80: Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1126 MST, July 2,, 1948 Recovered at. Rincon, New Mexico On this f'light an automatic ballast valve activated by a minimum-pressure switch was used to support a .OOl", 20..foot polyethylene balloon. From the height-time cum (Figure 33) it may be seen that the balloon remained at its maximum height for two hours, then began to descend slowly. A ballast meter waa in use, and no ballast flow was recorded until the balloon descended to about 30,000 feet. It is likely that the mercury minimum-pressure switch was i'rozen at the higher levels, or the. t the squib 'Which the switch controlled failed to detonate until a higher pressure was reached. FLIGHT 80 Released at Alamogcrdo,N.M -+-+--+---+----"'.-+----+----4---1 July 24, 1948- il26 M.S:r at Rincon,N.M. 25,1948 Figure 33 Follawin~ the activation of the aneroid capsule of the automatic bal~t valve, ballast was released in four separate blocks. Wi t..ll each flaw of ballast except the fo~rt~, the balloon was returned to the seal-off pressure of the aneroid with no change in this pressure (321 m~:::28,500feet;~. The fourth ballast-flow period lasted until the balloon had risen to 300 mb{30,000 teet) and ballast cut off there. Since the sun had set between the third and -40-